CAIRO, Nov 8 (Aswat Masriya) – Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi highlighted his interest in strengthening bilateral relations with Greece, especially in the economic field, during his meeting with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on Saturday.

Sisi is meeting with his Cypriot counterpart Nicos Anastasiades and Samaras as part of a tripartite summit for the leaders of the three countries to discuss cooperation in all areas and combating terrorism, the Egyptian presidency said in statement on Friday.

The talks will be followed by a joint press conference scheduled at 12 p.m., the statement added.

Sisi said Egypt is looking forward for its European friends' support for the economy, calling on them to contribute with direct investments in the country, a presidential statement read. He also invited them to take part in Egypt's coming economic conference.

Egypt's Planning Minister Ashraf al-Arabi announced the country will hold a conference, entitled the Egyptian Economic Summit, in February to attract foreign companies, donor and international organisations.  

Sisi expressed Egypt's keenness on Greece's support to Egypt's trade and investment sectors. Greece is the fifth largest European investor in Egypt.

The Egyptian president also stressed the importance of cooperation in fighting terrorism and achieving security and stability in the Mediterranean region.

Sisi specifically addressed the situation in Libya as a priority. He said that all regional parties have agreed to suspend all forms of "fueling the conflict", funding "terrorism" or supporting extremist movements.

Militant fighting in Libya has recently intensified in measures unprecedented since the overthrow of late Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Army general Khalifa Haftar declared war on Islamist forces within Libya since May. 

In an interview with Reuters in May, Sisi referred to Libya as a "security threat" Egypt faces, especially in regards to combating terrorism.The tripartite summit is scheduled to discuss border demarcation. 

On October 29, the governments of Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus, reportedly urged Turkey to quit trying to chart gas deposits in areas of the east Mediterranean claimed by Cyprus, saying the work was illegal.

In an interview with state-run news agency MENA, Cypriot President Anastasiades pointed out that Egypt and Cyprus have already signed a border demarcation agreement last December during Anastasiades' first visit to Egypt.

The foreign ministers of Egypt, Greece and Cyprus previously met on October 29 in Nicosia to prepare for a summit between the three countries this month, when they also denounced the actions of Turkey.